Friday, September 25, 2009

Faithful Fridays - "Half Empty or Half Full" & Back to School Recipe Pool

How can it possibly be Friday again? This week flew by!



First of all on this post, I'd like to share a little something for Joy's Faithful Fridays. You've heard the expression, "half empty or half full", I'm sure. That's kind of my Faithful Friday post in a nutshell.

I've decided there's a couple of ways I can look at an experience this week. This past Tuesday, Joy & I left the house earlier than usual headed for our weekly homeschool meeting, or "gym" as we call it. Being proud of ourselves for scheduling our time so well this day, we drove into town and stopped in Walmart for a quick errand; then came out and proceeded to the gas station. Along the way, I thought it felt a little rough driving down the road, but we reasoned that that service road was always bumpy. Since it wasn't far from Walmart to the station, we never thought that much more about it. As I was refueling, a man walked up and told us we had a flat tire. We ended up back at Walmart at the automotive department for them to check out the tire for us. Friends came to our rescue and gave us a ride to gym. And in the end, the sidewall on the tire was blown out. So, a new tire was in order. Tires for that car aren't cheap, so needless to say that was something unexpected financially thrown into our week. Don't you know that happens when you know you're going to have a "little extra" to use toward something else or pay off this or that?

But....we've learned along the way that you can look at these situations in two different ways.....kind of like the half empty, half full, scenario. It can be "why did this happen this week of all times", or it can be "well at least we had the extra money to take care of it". Besides that, I really am thankful that it didn't blow out completely as we were driving it, and that we were able to get the tire we needed. So we decided to choose the half full option. :)



Next of all, I wanted to share a recipe for Colleen's Back to School Recipe Pool (Week 5). This week's theme is apple recipes. I love apple recipes!  I knew what I'd like to share, if I had a chance to make it.  I did make it tonight and the house smells so yummy!  I always think of this recipe when fall arrives. It's very easy!  I like easy!  :)



Apple Crisp

6 large tart cooking apples
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. butter

Place peeled and cubed apples in a greased (11 x 7 x 2) baking dish.  Pour orange juice over apples.  Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon.  Sprinkle evenly over apples.  Combine flour, remaining sugar and salt.  Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.  Spoon over apples.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is brown.

Serve warm or cold with ice cream or milk.  (We love it warm with a scoop of ice cream).  Enjoy! 


    

26 comments:

Cat Nap Inn Primitives said...

Hey Tammy..glad you are both okay..and that apple crisp sure looks good on a great falls evening..:) have a great weekend..:)

Unknown said...

Your post was great...Always look at the bright side of things..Your apple crisp recipe looks great..Must try it..Have a great weekend..Lisa

Debbie said...

Tammy,

I am so glad it all worked out and you and Joy were ok. I always try to look at the good side of everything which I think helps us around here. Wendell is the 'glass is half empty' type of guy while I'm arguing its 'half full'. I just think life is easier that way.

The apple crisp looks good. I made apple cobbler at work yesterday and it smelled so good! Thank you for sharing the recipe.

Take Care and have a great weekend,
Debbie

Colleen/And Baby Makes Five said...

Thanks for sharing your recipe with us this week, Tammy! Apple Crisp is always a favorite around here.

Have a wonderful weekend~

Parsley said...

Well, I admire your outlook on the flat tire. It's so hard to keep on the bright side sometimes...this week was my half-empty week.

Praise God for gentle reminders of how good we really have things.

Have a blessed weekend.

Carmen S. said...

Tammy, I am SO glad you and Joy are safe and that tire didn't blow and cause an accident! It is funny things do seem to happen like that when you do have extra $$$, and I try to remind myself daily of the glass half FULL theory! that apple crisp looks wonderful, hope you enjoy your weekend:)

Anonymous said...

Tammy, I am so glad that you and Joy are okay from your tire incident! Life does seem to go much better when we try our best to look at the good side of everything. Sometimes, it can be very trying to do so though...but, I've also found it to be true to do so, that's for sure!

Thank you for sharing your Apple Crisp recipe!! We love apples around our house too, and your apple recipe sounds so very delish!!

Have a great & beautiful weekend!!
Love & Blessings,
~Lynn/Okc

Never So Simple said...

I am glad you wren't out on the road where nothing was around. I'm glad you two were ok. I would say the glass was half full of blessings. You were not stranded, you both are ok and you had the money for a tire.

Donna

Joy ~ Doodlebug ~ said...

Mom,

I'm glad Ms. Lori and MG "came to our rescue"! :) I guess I see what you mean on the half empty, half full. I love your posts! You're so uplifting!

I love you! 8!

Love, Joy =D

Hopes Handcrafts said...

mmmm...yum...I love apple crisp. It's spring here in New Zealand so there's a few months to wait until apple (crisp) season.

I need to look at life's incidences more half-full...thanks for the positive reminder!

Nancy M. said...

I would say definitely half full since at least you had the money to get another one. So glad it didn't blow out on y'all!

I just wanted to say your daughter is such a wonderful young lady! You must be very proud of her!

Elle Bee said...

That apple crisp recipe looks like something I'd actually make any day of the week! Delicious! Thanks for sharing it.
Good for you for remembering to keep a positive perspective.
Elle

Mandy said...

I know exactly what you mean! I had a similar Faithful Fridays post earlier this summer about our huge van repair!

That apple crisp looks wonderful!

horse loving lineman's wife said...

I commend you for looking at it like the glass is half full, and I CAN'T wait to try the apple crisp!

WoolenSails said...

I love apple crisp, wish I had thought to make some today, would taste good right now.

Debbie

Pam said...

I'm glad you were safe in the tire incident. That happened to us this summer. I told the kids that God would watch over us and keep us safe until we could make it to the service station.
That apple crisp looks yummy!

Linda - Behind My Red Door said...

Just the fact that you were safe and sound made it a half full experience for me! What a nice bonus that you had the money put aside for the tire!

YUMMO! I'd love to skip in over and sit in your lovely kitchen and have a bit of that apple crisp with you and Joy!!

Gettysburg Homestead said...

I have to agree at least you were not hurt and it didn't blow out while you were driving at a high rate of speed.

Yummy apple crisp!!!

Mary

Blessed Beyond said...

Hi Tammy,

Your post is awesome!!! Glad yall were ok and it didnt' blow out while you were driving! Your apple crisp looks wonderful! Congratulations on your decision! I am praying! Hope yall have a wonderful week!
Hugs and Blessings,

At Home With Amy said...

Wonderful story Tammy. So glad you and Joy avoided the danger that could have been. God was definitely looking after the two of you.
I am definitely trying your apple crisp recipe. It sounds so easy and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Enjoy your week,
Hugs,
AMY

carolyn@simple~primitive~devotion said...

Tammy, I'm so glad that your tire didn't blow out and cause an accident! That happened to me a few years ago, even though the accident was minor, it scared me half to death!

Great post, as always!

Custody hearing is tomorrow, unless they postpone again. I am praying that we get it over with tomorrow!

Have a great week!

Paula said...

Hey Tammy! Love the post - love the apple crisp! Have a great week!

Blessing~
P.

Shelley said...

I think it's wonderful you choose to look at the glass half full! (And glad you are okay - sometimes a flat can be scarey!) And thanks for the apple crisp recipe - I love apple recipes too!

Anonymous said...

Ok, so I clicked on the translater button over to the right and selected Spanish....what a riot!!So I got to see what your post was in Spanish!! how cool actually!!

Did anybody else try to apple crisp? My son's friend ate the whole dish!!He loved it with whipped cream. I only got two servings out of it!!
Guess I will have to make it AGAIN!

Jill from NY

Lois Christensen said...

First, yummy recipe!! I love apple crisp!

So glad you were able to get to Walmart and get the tire fixed without too many problems.

I'm like you, I try to always think of something good when bad things happen. Trying to always look for how God protected me even when something like a flat tire delays me.

Great post!

Paula said...

Beautiful post, Tammy- a wonderful reminder of how you choose to look at something makes all the difference in your attitude!
The Apple Crisp looks heavenly- I'll bet your kitchen smelled wonderful while it was in the oven!

By the way- I love the music- "You are so Beautiful" is one of my all-time favorites!